


Winston

by luluinuk



Category: No Good Nick (TV)
Genre: And a history nerd, Drabble, Fluff, Fluffy, Gen, Jeremy is a problem solver, My First Work in This Fandom, Nick isn't the only one who keeps secrets, Pet Ownership - Freeform, Rats, a RAT!, and the first thing im uploading, but not like in a angsty way, did i write a fanfiction about 2 seconds in the background of a scene?, i hope i finish this, jeremy let me see what you have, jeremy thompson - Freeform, look i love jeremy ok, ma ybe angst later?? oops?, no!!, this is a drabble, yes - Freeform, yes i did
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2020-10-18 11:58:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20638799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luluinuk/pseuds/luluinuk
Summary: Just for the record, Jeremy would like it to be known that he had no intention of growing attached to the rat.aka. How Jeremy got a pet without the Thompsons knowing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is inspired by the bit in pied piper when Jeremy picks up and pets one of the rats in the background.
> 
> also my first fic so please be nice.

There is a certain recommended list for things that should, or should not, be in a restaurant.

Pricey pasta? Great.  
Snooty customers? Required.  
Child waiters? Well, that one was up for update. And Jeremy certainly wasn’t a child so that was redundant.

Rats? 

“I am not a rat lady!"

Less desired.

Jeremy winced and smiled at the camera. A plate smashed behind him and the chorus of screeching only grew. 

He spun to face one rat that had climbed on a clients back, which Jeremy swiftly grabbed with an unheard apology.

Putting it down on the floor didn’t seem like it would help the situation, so he held it in his hands, while the front door almost got ripped off its hinges in the fervent customers escape from the calamity.

Overwhelmed, Jeremy patted the brown fluff ball, unsure of how to help.

He edged out of the room, rat in hand, side-stepping the scurry and slipping into the storage room.

At least here, the little guy wouldn’t get trampled. 

Spotting an upturned small box, Jeremy gently placed the brown rat inside, who squeaked indignantly before nibbling on the packing straw.

He sighed and returned unnoticed to the main room. 

The calamity had calmed down as the customers were now all gone. Molly and Ed had arrived earlier and seemed stunned into silence. Which was rare. Especially for Molly.

Liz was pleading with the TV host, who pulled up a video of his mom's auto-tuned infamy.

He stared in horror. "How did they make that so fast?"

The glamorous host grinned, "There's an app!"

The devastation was distracting and the next few hours passed quickly. Pest control and the health inspector had come and gone.

In short, Crescendo's was "closed until further notice"

Jeremy scrunched his forehead and thought of the carnage of chairs and tables. At least the rats were gone.

Wait… Oh shoot.

"Why is there a box full of flyers for Franzelli’s grand reopening here?" Nick interrupted in the background.

"Oh yeah… I forgot I stashed those there"

Nick asked another question which he distractedly answered.

That rat better still be there.

“-I don’t know... Whatever. Who cares?”

After asking Nick to throw them out, he turned and left to the store room.

(Looking back, Jeremy wondered what would have happened if he had paid more attention in that moment, -and noticed the signs, if things could have been different)

He opened the door and was met with a loud squeak. Collecting the wriggling rat in his hands, he contemplated his options.

Jeremy could just put it back in the dumpster and be done with it, but something made him pause.

What would stop it from returning? And what would pest control do to it?

Not that he was concerned or anything. And not that it was quite a small rat and was now contentedly nestled in his hands. Nothing to do with its little eyes staring inquisitively at Jeremy.

Ugh, he sounded like Molly. This was her kind of thing.

No, he was a Thompson. Thompson's were problem solvers.

He picked up the box and clutched it, absentmindedly patting the rat’s head as he thought.

Pest patrol had come and gone it was late, he would bring it home tonight and drop it off at a pet shelter tomorrow morning.

Easy.


	2. Chapter 2

Just for the record, Jeremy would like it to be known that he had no intention of growing attached to the rat.

Once home, Jeremy threw himself on his bed. Beside him was the box from the restaurant and the sound of rustling.

The others had gone to bed and Jeremy was alone. He dragged his hands across his face.

What was he doing?

He had smuggled a probably disease ridden rat past his family, who would probably not be thrilled with the furry stowaway, considering the current situation.

They wouldn't know. The family had enough on their plates and he could handle this by himself.

He turned on his side and brought his phone up to his face.

'how to wash a rat'

This had been the beginning.

…

After 30 minutes of spontaneous research, and learning rats were actually very clean creatures. Jeremy gathered up his acquaintance in his arms, holding the rat against his Star Wars pajamas.

He opened his bedroom door and poked his head out, glancing both ways. Molly would have a field day if she learnt of this! Deeming the hallway sufficiently deserted, he padded over to the bathroom.  
Okay, so regular shampoo was a no go according to his phone, but reaching into the dark of the cupboards yielded a half-used bottle of baby shampoo that would have to do.

The room was filled with the silence that only night brings, broken only by the pattering in the of paws against the tub.

“Alright…” Jeremy muttered, glancing at his phone. The rat didn’t seem too stressed which was good.

Crouching down he ran a little bit of warm water on his hands, which he ran through the rat’s fur to accustom it to the water. It squirmed fussily but eventually settled and despite himself Jeremy smiled.

Everything had been so complicated lately, with Molly and now Mom. His presidency had it’s challenges as well with Lisa breathing down his neck. This was something he could do.

Taking care to be slow, Jeremy then gently lathered the shampoo into the rats fur.  
The repetitive motion was calming, and his tense posture relaxed unknowingly.

The rat was relatively well behaved- and okay, maybe Jeremy could see how it was actually kind of cute as he rinsed him off.

It was probably the exhaustion that made him chuckle at the sight of the small rat dwarfed by the towel who once completely dry, snuggled into the folds.

Yeah, it was definitely cute.

Feeling more at ease, Jeremy trod back to bed, towelled rat at hand. 

It was 2:45 AM, and after putting the towel down in the box, and setting the rat down, Jeremy slid into bed and very quickly, into sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning he’d woken up, remembered his absurd situation and checked on the little rodent. Rats probably need food right? What did rats like? Cheese?

Sitting up groggily he reached clumsily for his phone. After a google search Jeremy got up and began to leave.

“I’ll be right back'' he whispered, too tired to feel silly.

Liz Thompson usually woke up at 6 oclock, and was dressed and cooking by 7, but was haggard and irritated this morning as she went downstairs.

She was met by the sound of movement and squinted into the kitchen.  
“Hello?” she asked.

A head of messy black hair poked over the counter.

“Oh mom, good -uh morning?” Jeremy answered sleepily. He stood up, placing a small bowl of messily chopped apple and a slice of whole wheat bread on the counter behind him.

He spun round, the rare sight of bed head fluffing upwards.  
“Are you doing okay?” he asked.

Liz sighed, “Yeah, I’m just -what are you doing?” She rubbed her eyes, “Do you want me to make you something?”

“No, no I’m fine! Just grabbing a snack.”

“Good...I’m not in the mood. But I'm pretty you don't like whole wheat bread?”

Her son blanched and stammered, standing up clumsily “I’m being healthy! S-see?” He reluctantly bit into the plain bread, grimacing.

“Mmm, yum…”

Before Liz could respond, Jeremy was gone.

"I'm meeting up with Eric in town" he called "I'll be back later!"

Very soon, Jeremy was in town, box in hand, walking to the local pet shelter.  
He was proud! He had handled this himself and his family would be none the wiser. He paced confidently down the street. But the thought of handing over the box made his strides become slower as he faltered.

He paused, looking down at the rat. He was being illogical. Mom would never let him keep the rat.

He startled. When had that become a possibility?

Why would he want to? He knew he couldn’t, but would he do it?

Could he?

Something in him answered for him. He laughed quietly, “This is insane.”

But Jeremy had made his mind up. His family didn’t have to know right away, no one went in his room so that would be fine, and he had money saved up from his job at Crescendo’s to get the essentials.

Wheeling back around he brought the rat up to his face, feeling almost giddy.

True to form, what followed was a plethora of research into pet maintenance that ended with his arms filled with supplies from the pet store and newfound determination. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it right. Sure he was set back on paying for that car, but this kind of spontaneity was something he’d never done before and filled him with energy.

He set off home grinning. He had a pet rat. That was a thing now.


	4. Chapter 4

It had taken a while to choose a name.

There was also the problem of keeping a pet animal hidden from your family in the corner of your bedroom. 

But this problem felt more manageable so what to call the rat?  
There were so many historical figures to choose from. He had a sensible dignified rat who deserved a sensible, dignified name.

“Jefferson? Or maybe Kennedy?”. The rat looked up at him, scrunching its nose.

“I don’t think you’re a Kennedy.”

Sneaking into the house was easy enough, it had been a slow day and the Thompson's were in varying stages of wakefulness. He hadn’t seen Nick yet, and any other time he’d go check on her -not in a suspicious way!

His resolve to be fair to her after their difficult beginning something he held himself to, especially now with how Molly had been acting recently.

Today he was busy, spending the rest of the day setting up the cage, researching online and creating a schedule for the care of his rat.

A rat who really needed a name other than Rat.

An image of his school locker appeared in his head, specifically of the photo of Winston Churchill. 

He pondered for a moment. 

That would do.

Winston, in Jeremy’s eyes, was the newest member of the Thompson family.  
The human Thompson family were not aware of this.

He’d need to tell them, obviously, he thought the next day as he jogged up the school steps.

But, right now he had enough on his plate.

It was odd, how in just one day, Jeremy’s life crumbled around him.

“I’m sorry to say I have no choice but to expel Jeremy.”

His life was over. His whole future, his prospects, his -stupid resume.

The worst was the grim realisation that had settled, building up in his chest like a heavy weight.

And Nick wouldn’t admit it, not once, even when she could have!

No one would believe him now, Nick had ensured that.

In spite of what she said there was no pretence in Nick’s eyes, with nothing to settle the confusion and pain that threatened to choke him.

Shut in his bedroom he had held Winston to his shaking chest, trying to get a hold of himself before facing his family again.

He stayed upstairs awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst? in my headcanon that ran away from me? It's more likely than you think. soz  
End of season 2+rat coming soon.
> 
> (I do not own a rat, do not take anything I say as proper pet maintenance)


	5. Chapter 5

In retrospect, there had been plenty of opportunities to tell his family about Winston's existence. 

Hell, he could of just slipped it in when everything else was hitting the fan;

_ "Dads been arrested, Nick is a con artist, her dad is alive in prison, we aren't related to her, we have to set up a ruse to catch her criminal foster parents - Oh, I have a rat now." _

It would have been completely insignificant!

Of course, a few months had passed since then, and the Thompsons, (now actually Nick's legal guardians) had been trying to figure out how their lives worked now with the addition of all of these revelations.

But the edge in the air was beginning to subside. The relief each morning as Nick came downstairs each morning became less noticeable.

It was the first grounding confirmation that even after everything - everyone was going to be okay.

Which meant it was probably time to reveal the rat.

Now Jeremy was hardly a procrastinator. His homework was always completed in advance, and he considered himself the pinnacle of punctuality!

Meanwhile the rat cage and pile of pet maintenance in his room slowly grew, just out of view from the door, -should someone poke their head in- and Jeremy had repositioned his desk to effectively hide his animal companion.

On this day he was stricken with a sudden cold (that really better not be the flu) and stayed in his room, unable to even text Eric with his complaints. Jeremy laid in bed and cursed his headache, miserably content to pout at the ceiling.

He began to formulate a plan. His last powerpoint presentation hadn't gone exactly -well- to plan.

But he was confident this was the right approach. With all the research he'd compiled there would be no question of his capability.

Jeremy had rehearsed his coming out speech to Winston before (he's a good listener, okay?). So he'd had plenty of practice, but his nagging cold had left him all out of sorts and having trouble focusing, so he gave up and flopped on his bed.

Jeremy sniffed and rolled over, unable to get comfortable and feeling all sorts of unpleasant and groggy.

He turned his head towards where the cage was obscured by his desk, listening to the faint rattling of Winston on his running wheel.

He'd have to hide it better, It was only a matter of time befor-

"Jeremy?"

He whipped his head around to face Nick, stood in the doorway. She hesitated for a moment and entered.

"Hey, are you feeling any better?" Nick's tone was casual but her hands fiddled with her jacket conveyed her nervousness.

Jeremy pushed himself up and gestured for Nick to come sit on the bed.

"It's a bit better. Are you okay?" He said, opting to be direct.

Nick paused for a moment, then sighed.

"My dad called."

Oh.

"He wants to see me, I haven't visited him since -well, he didn't say much else but I don't know what to do."

She looked down at her hands in her lap.

"I'm not even sure if I  _ want _ to see him…"

Jeremy thought for a moment before speaking.

"Nick, if that's what you want, then Mom and Dad won't stop you"

The hushed discussions between Ed and Liz about their thoughts of Nick's dad weren't exactly a secret, but they would support Nick regardless of the complicated situation, Jeremy was sure.

Nick exhaled shakily, voice uncharacteristically small,"I still feel like I'm betraying him by being here."

Jeremy furrowed his brow, trying to blink away his fuzzy vision and thinking of how to reassure her.

Nick still looked upset, which wasn't good, seeing her sad made Jeremy unhappy. Was his room always this bright? Nick was practically his sister and he couldn't imagine how conflicted she was feeling. When Jeremy was sad he held Winston for a while and felt better. Wintson was the best rat and - hey…

"Hold on" he mumbled, walking to Winston's cage, picking him up and placing him in Nick's lap in one swift motion.

Nick blinked.

"Jeremy."

"Hm?"

"Why is there a rat?"

Nick was staring at him now, but didn't look sad anymore. (Score! His plans were great.)

"Oh that's Winston." The rat turned around before settling down, twitching his whiskers upwards.

She blinked, opened her mouth then closed it. "What?"

Eventually, Jeremy caught up a bit more to the situation, and explained the whole story of how Winston Abraham Thompson had come to be hidden in his bedroom and his plan to reveal him to the family. Presentation draft and all.

A while later Nick chuckled and stood up, "You should probably take a nap, and then I'm going to help you with your presentation. You misspelt  _ rat, _ bud… Get some sleep."

Once she'd left, Jeremy sat on his bed cross legged, petting Winston contentedly.

Like many things in the past year, a rat was not something Jeremy had expected. He'd never felt the need for a pet, so it had no place in any list or pretend resume. Anything that strayed from that was an obstacle to overcome.

But maybe, Jeremy was starting to understand, some of the surprises life throws aren't obstacles after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand that is the first fic I've ever completed! Thank you for reading! I'm uncertain of the quality of this but I had fun doing it! 
> 
> This silly headcanon ran away from me but I'm happy it did!


End file.
